Abrading machine



Nov. 24, 1970 R. SCHALLER ETAL 3,541,735

ABRADING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. ROBERTL. SCHALLER.

' DONALD L. TO NE. 29W

ATTORNEY.

Nov, 24, 1970 R. L. SCHALLER L 3,541,735

ABRADING MACHINE Filed Aug 5, 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS.

DONALD L. TOWNE.

ATTORNEY.

ROBERT L. SCHALLER.

Nov. 24, 1970 Filed Aug. 5, 1968 R. L. SCHALLER ETAL 3,541,735

ABRADING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS. ROBERT L. SCHALLER. BYDONALD L. TOWNE.

ATTORNEY.

NOV. 24-, 1970 SQHALLER ETAL 3,541,735

I ABRADING' MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEN DONALD L.TOWNE.

WWW

ATTORNEY.

TOR ROBERT L. SCHALLER.

NOV. 24, 1970 SCHALLER EI'AL 3,541,735

ABRADING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1 968 I w I 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. 6

8| I38 as I50 as n am U Q I I 80 IS en 60 FIG.9 80A INVENTORS. ROBERT L.SCHALLER. DONALD L. TOWNE.

ATTORNEY.

NOV. 24, 1970 v SCHALLER ETAL 3,541,735

ABRADING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 w :im I05 cit] ,8?I i m J I09 IB/IIl/ Z 85 I r I I 'L INVENTORS. J ROBERT L. SCHALLER.

. DONALD L. TOWNE.

BY fl ATTORNEY.

Nov. 24, 1970 R. L. SCHALLER ETAL ABRADING MACHINE v 8 Sheets-Sheet 8Filed Aug. 5, 1968 MMHM FIG..IO

'85 Lisa FIG INVENTORS. L. SCHALLER.

ROBERT BY DONALD L. T WNE.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,541,735 ABRADING MACHINE Robert L. Schaller,Camillus, and Donald L. Towne, North Syracuse, N.Y., assignors toSundstrand-Engelberg, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 5,1968, Ser. No. 750,259 Int. Cl. B24b 7/00, 21/00 US. Cl. 51-139 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An abrading machine for finishing elongatedworkpieces rectangular in cross section, such as bars and tubes. A fixedpass line is established by a linear series of fixedly positioned rollswhich engage two adjacent sides of the workpiece. Other rolls, whichengage the opposite two adjacent sides of the workpiece, are adjustableto accommodate workpieces of different cross sectional dimension. Therolls include guide rolls, feed rolls and back-up rolls. There are aplurality of abrading heads spaced along the pass line for abrading thefour sides of the workpieces, the heads being reciprocated transverselyof the workpiece while abrading the same during its advancement alongthe pass line.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At present, elongated workpieces,rectangular in cross section, are abraded by an abrading head engagingone side of the workpiece and, in some cases, a second abrading head isemployed for engaging the opposite side of the workpiece. When the oneside, or two sides, have been abraded, the work piece is rotated andpassed through the machine again for abrading the other side, or sides,of the workpiece. In finishing abrading of tubular Workpieces, it iscustomary to use only one abrading head, necessitating the tube beingpassed through the machine four times.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Our machine is provided with at leastfour abrading heads which. function to abrade the four sides of theworkpiece during one pass thereof through the machine. The machine isparticularly well adapted for abrading thin wall metallic tubing as, forexample, stainless steel tubing now used extensively in the fabricationof many articles, such as furniture. The abrading heads are spaced apartalong a pre-fixed pass line, the arrangement providing for thedissipation of any heat generated in the workpiece by one head beforethe heated area of the workpiece reaches the next abrading head whichoperates on the side of the workpiece opposite to that operated on bythe previous abrading head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of anabrading machine embodying our invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the left section of the machine shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view looking to the right, FIGS. 1, 2 and3.

FIG. 5 is a view taken on line 55, FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a view taken on line 66, FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a view taken on line 77, FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating the arrangement of the guiderolls, feed rolls and back-up rolls, establishing the fixed pass line atthe rear side of the workpiece.

FIG. 9 is a view, similar to FIG. 7, showing the roll 3,541,735 PatentedNov. 24, 1970 P. CC

arrangement establishing the fixed pass line at the lower side of theworkpiece.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the mechanism for controlling themagnitude of the reciprocation of the grinder heads, the view beingtaken on line 1010, FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a view taken on line 1212, FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawingsincludes four abrading heads 18, 19, 20 and 21, arranged along a fixedpass line for abrading engagement with the top side, bottom side, frontside and rear side, respectively, of the workpiece.

The framework includes column structures 22, 23, mounted on a base plate25. Plates 27 are mounted on the tops of the columns 22, 23, andupwardly extending plate structures are fixed to the plates 27 and serveto support the abrading head and roll structures. The general structuralarrangement of the upper framework supporting the abrading heads issimilar. However, the configuration varies slightly due to the fact thatheads 18 and 19 are mounted vertically, while the heads 20 and 21 aremounted horizontally for engaging the front and rear sides of theworkpiece. Accordingly, the structural arrangement for supporting theabrading head 18 and the roll structures, in the left portion of FIGS. 1and 2, will now be described in detail.

A plate 30 extends upwardly from the plate 27, the plate 30 extendingforwardly and rearwardly of the machine, see FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 6. Theplates 31 and 32 are fixed to the plate 30, as by welding, and arelikewise fastened to the plate 27. A head supporting slide 33 isslidably mounted upwardly and downwardly on the plate 30, and isprovided with gibs 35 for slidably connecting the member 33 to the plate30. A member 37 is fixedly secured to the slide 33 and depends therefromfor engagement with a screw jack 40 fixed to the plate 30. The screwjack is operated by a hand wheel 41.

The slide 33 is formed with flanges 43 to slidably receive gibs 45 fixedto a flat side 47 of a head casting formed with a second fiat side 48extending at right angles to the sides 47. There are gussets 50 formedintegral with the sides 47, 48, of the head casting. A cylinder 53 ispivotally mounted at one end to a bracket 54 secured to the side 47 ofthe head casting. The piston rod '55 is connected to a bracket 56 fixedto the slide 33, see FIG. 6. The purpose of the cylinder 53 is to effectreciprocation of the head casting on the ways 43 of the slide 33.

The abrading heads are of the belt type employing an abrasive belt 60trained over a driving roll 61, and an upper idler roll 62. The roll '61is mounted on a shaft "63 journalled in bearings mounted in a boss 6-4formed in the side wall 48 of the casting and in an outboard support 65attached to a block 66 mounted on the side wall 48, see FIGS. 5 and 6.

The upper idler roll 62 is mounted on a shaft journalled in a yoke 67mounted on a slide 68 for movement toward and from the driving roll 61along ways '69 formed on the plate 48. A cylinder 70 is connected to theslide 68 for maintaining tension on the belt 60, see FIG. 5. Shaft 63 isdriven by motor 71 through belt 72.

The head structure 18, just described, is positioned for abradingengagement with the top side 73 of the work piece 74. The work piece isadvanced by three pairs of power-operated feed rolls 80, 81, A, 81A, and80B, 81B, rotated by variable speed motors 82. The feed roll 80 isjourna-lled in a slide 83, and the lower feed roll 81 is journalled in aslide 85, see FIG. 7. The slides 83, 85, are mounted for verticalsliding movement in a bracket fixed to the vertical plate 31. Thebracket consists of a back plate 87 and side plates 88, see FIGS. 6 and7. A plate 90 is fixed to the forward edges of the plates 88. The slide83 is formed with gibs 91 overlapping the sides of the plate 90. Theslide 83 includes an outer plate 93 to which a gear housing 94 isattached and to which the driving motor 82 is fixed. The output shaft 95from the gear box has aflixed thereto the upper feed roll 80, see FIG.7, the inner end of the shaft being supported in a bearing 96 mounted inslide '83.

A cylinder 97 is fixed to a plate 98 fixedly secured to the upper end ofthe plate 90. The piston rod 100 is connected to the slide 83. The plate90 is formed with a slot 101. An arm 102 extends from slide 83 throughslot 101, and is apertured to receive a nut 103 threaded on a rod 104,the upper end of which is journalled in a plate 105 fixed to the upperends of the plates 88 and restrained against axial movement by collars106. Fluid is supplied to the upper end of the cylinder 97 to yieldinglyurge the roll 80 into engagement with' the top side surface 73 of thework piece 74, downward movement of the slide 83 and roll 80 beinglimited by nut 103 and rod 104.

The lower feed roll 81 of each pair is journalled on a shaft 107, oneend of which is fixed in the slide 85, and the opposite end in an outerplate 109 fixed to the slide. The slide 85 is adjusted vertically by ajack screw 108, the lower end of which is journalled in a plate 110secured to extensions at the bottom ends of the plates 88. The feedrolls '80, 81, are rotated in unison by a chain 112 trained oversprockets 113 fixed to the inner ends of the rolls. The chain 112 iswrapped over the upper portion of the sprocket 113 on the lower roll 81and is trained over idler rolls 115, 11 6. The idler roll 116 isjournalled on a pivoted arm 117 urged downwardly by tension spring 118,see FIG. 3. Feed roll structures 80A, 81A, 80B, 81B, involve the samegeneral arrangement as rolls '80, *81.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the portion of the machine shown therein isprovided with pairs of guide rolls 120, 121. These rolls are journalledfor rotation about a vertical axis and engage the rear and front sidesof the work piece. The rolls 120 are journalled on blocks 123. The rolls121 are journalled on blicks 124. The blocks 123, 124, are mounted forsliding movement on an angle bracket 125 fixed to spacers 126 carried bya plate 127 extending vertically from plate 27 and welded to plates 31,32. The block 123 has afiixed to its inner end a rod 130 extendingthrough a bracket 131 and provided with nuts 132. This provides foradjustment of block 123 to position the roller 120 for engagement withthe rear side of the work piece. These rolls 120, together with otherrolls in the machine, are initially aligned for engagement with the rearside of the workpiece to establish a pass line along which the workpieceis advanced by the pairs of feed rolls 80, 81.

The slides 124, on which the guide rolls 121 are journalled, are movableby a jack screw 133 provided with a hand wheel 134. The rolls 121 areadjusted toward and from the rolls 120 to accommodate workpieces ofdifferent cross sectional dimension. There are two additional sets ofthe guide rolls 120, 121, see FIGS. 1 and 2.

As the workpiece 73 is advanced by the feed rolls 80, '81, at the leftend of the machine, the top side 73 of the workpiece is engaged by adownwardly spring pressed roll 137 which serves to make certain that thelower side of the workpiece engages the pre-positioned back-up roll 138located immediately below the drive roll 61 of the abrading head 18. Theroll 138 is journalled in a slide yoke 140 having gibs engaging the sideedges of a plate 141 mounted on a plate fixed to a bracket 143 fixedlymounted on a plate 144 extending upwardly from plate 27. The back-uproll supporting yoke 140 is adjusted vertically by a screw 145 having ahand wheel 146, see FIGS. 1 and 5.

As the workpiece is advanced by the first pair of feed rolls 80, 81,between the abrasive belt trained over pulley 61 and the back-up roll138, the workpiece passes between the second pair of guide rolls 120,121, and the bottom side 147 of the workpiece is engaged by an upwardlyspring pressed roll 150, similar to the roll 137, to press the topsurface 73 of the workpiece against the back-up roll 138A, which ismounted above the abrasive belt driving roll in the abrading head 19.The abrading head 19 abrades the lower or bottom side surface 147 of theworkpiece, as will be apparent. Thereafter, the Work piece is engaged bythe second pair of feed rolls 80A, 81A, and is advanced between thethird pair of guide rolls 120, 121. The next successive engagement ofthe workpiece is by the back-up roll 138B, which engaged the rearsurface 149 of the workpiece, and the front side 148 of the workpiece isengaged by the abrasive belt in the abrading unit 20.

The workpiece is advanced from the grinding head 20 to the grinding head21, and is engaged by the feed rolls 80B, 81B, for discharge of thefinished workpiece.

It will be observed, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, that the abrading heads18 and 19 are positioned closer together than the heads 19 and 20. Thisgrouping of the heads in spaced pairs results in effective heatdissipation in the workpiece. The head 18 has abrading contact with thetop side of the workpiece and while the ground area of the workpiece ismoved to the head 19, heat is dissipated therefrom and in addition, head19 engages the under side of the workpiece remote from the top sidepreviously engaged by the head 18. The larger spacing between the heads19, 20, permits cooling of the lower or bottom side of the workpieceprevious to engagement of the adjacent front side by the head 20. Inlike manner, the next engagement by the head 21 is on the opposite orrear side of the workpiece. With this positioning of the abrading heads,thin wall tubing can be abraded without warping, or twisting, out ofshape.

As previously stated, the mountings for the abrading heads all involvethe same parts but are arranged in different planes, depending onwhether the heads are mounted vertically, or horizontally. In thedrawings, the same reference numerals have been applied to the headstructures and their mounting components.

The back-up roll structure 138A, associated with head 19, is mounted ona vertically disposed plate 160, which is attached to the plate 30 andrigidity is imparted to the plate by a web member 161, see FIG. 2. Otherthan that, the mounting arrangements are of complemental form.

Fluid pressure is applied alternately to the ends of the cylinder 53, ateach of the abrading heads 18, 19, 20 and 21, see FIG. 6, through atwo-way solenoid valve operated by switch fixed to the head supportingslide 33 by a column 171. The switch is operated by a bell crankactuator 172. The actuator 172 is provided with rolls 173, 174, whichare engaged by plates 175, 176, mounted in a housing see FIG. 10including side plates 177, 178, secured to end plates 180, 181. The sideplates 177, 178, are formed with mounting flanges 183 fixed to a sheetmetal hood 185 secured to the side wall 48 of the abrading head casting,see FIG. 6.

A screw 187 is journalled at its ends in the plates 180, 181. One end ofthe screw extends outwardly of the plate 180 and is provided with a knob188. The plate 175 is fixed to a hub 190 threaded on the screw 187. Theplate 176 is fixed to a hub 191 threaded on a second screw 192, likewisejournalled at its ends in the plates 180, 181. Guide rods 193 are fixedbetween the plates 180, 181, and are positioned between the confrontingsides of the plates 175, 176, and serve to limit rotation of the platesupon rotation of the screws 187, 192.

The rolls 173, 174, are mounted on opposite sides of the legs of thebell crank member 172, and, upon reciprocation of the abrading headcasting in a direction transversely of the workpiece, the rolls arealternately engaged by the plates 175, 176, for actuation of switch 170.The plate 175 engages the roll 173 upon movement of the abrading headtoward the pass line established at the rear side of the workpiece, FIG.6, to oscillate the member 172 for operation of the switch 170 to supplyfluid under pressure to the inner or rear end of the cylinder 53 to stoprearward movement of the abrading head 18 across the top side surface 73of the workpiece 74.

As the abrading head moves forwardly, the plate 176 engages the roller174 to move the bell crank member 172 in a clockwise direction, FIG. 6,for application of fluid pressure to the forward end of the cylinder 53and accordingly, limiting the forward movement of the abrading head.

The reduced end portion of screw 192, extending through plate 180, isprovided with a slot 200' for the reception of a screwdriver, or liketool, to effect rotation and adjustment of the screw 192. Thisadjustment is an initial adjustment to determine the position to whichthe abrading head is moved relative to the pass line at the rear andbottom side surfaces of the work piece. When so adjusted, the screw islocked in adjusted position by thumb screw 201 acting on a plug 202pressed against the journal of screw 192.

Screw 187 is adjusted by knob 1 88 to position the plate 175 forcontrolling the extent of movement of the head in the oppositedirection. This adjustment will depend upon the cross sectionaldimension of the rectangular workpiece. The screw '187 is likewiseretained inadjusted position by a thumb screw 201 and a plug 202. Withthis arrangement, the magnitude of the reciprocation of the abradinghead is controlled according to the cross sectional dimension of theworkpiece. It will be understood that each abrading head is equippedwith this mechanism for controlling the stroke, or amplitude, of thereciprocating movement of each abrading head.

While the machine disclosed and described is provided with four abradingheads for abrading the four sides of the rectangular workpiece incommercial practice, the machine usually includes three or four of theunits shown in the drawings, whereby the entire assembly is equippedwith twelve or sixteen heads to provide a mirror, or super-finish, tothe workpiece.

What we claim is:

1. An abrading machine for finishing the four side surfaces of elongatedworkpieces rectangular in cross section comprising a frame, a linearseries of rolls fixedly positioned in a pass line for engaging twoadjacent side surfaces of a workpiece, additional rolls mounted alongsaid pass line for engaging the opposite adjacent side surfaces of theworkpiece, said additional rolls being adjustable toward and from saidpass line to accommodate workpieces of diiferent cross sectionaldimension, certain of said rolls being power operated feed rolls foradvancing the workpieces along said pass line, a plurality of abradingbelt heads mounted on said frame and positioned along said pass line forabrading engagement with the four surfaces successively of the workpieceduring advancement thereof along said pass line, each of said headsbeing adjustable toward and from the workpiece and means operable toreciprocate each head in a direction transversely of the side surfacescontacted by said head.

2. An abrading machine as set forth in claim 1 and including meansoperable to vary the magnitude of the oscillation of said heads.

3. An abrading machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said poweroperated feed rolls consist of pairs of rolls engaging opposite sidesurfaces of the workpiece, each roll of said pairs being adjustabletoward and from the workpiece, and a power drive common to both rolls ofeach pair.

4. An abrading machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said poweroperated feed rolls consist of pairs of rolls, a power drive operativelyconnected to at least one roll of each pair, one roll of each pair beingfixed in adjusted position, and means yieldingly urging the other rollof the pair against the workpiece.

5. An abrading machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein each abradinghead includes a back-up roll for engaging the side of the workpieceopposite to the side engaged by the abrading belt, and means positionedupstream from certain of said abrading heads and operable to yieldinglyurge the workpiece against the back-up roll.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,090,170 5/1961 Slattery 51-1403,269,065 12/1963 Nylund 51-139 WILLIAM R. ARMSTRONG, Primary ExaminerU.S. Cl. X.R.

